Power and Fragility
by TheLovelyJudy
Summary: Despite Aurora's sharp tongue and strong confidence she is friendless and there is no one willing to stick up for her, he can mess around with her to his heart's content and not have to worry about any consequences. He's chosen her as his plaything and that's just too bad for her isn't it? She's tough but he'll break her, it's what he does best. Alex/OC
1. Back to School

_**Power & Fragility**_

_**(1) Back to School**_

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Aurora Grayson walks through the hallways of her school with her head held high, despite the fact that she's a grade A loser who's place at the bottom of the social ladder has been set in stone. If these people think she's going to break they have the wrong idea, she might not have a lot of friends but she has herself and as far as she's concerned that's good enough. Aurora doesn't care if everyone at this school treats her like a disease; okay…maybe that's not true. It does hurt her but she's only human for goodness sake, and for the most part she's able to put on a cold exterior like she doesn't give a flying fuck what anyone thinks of her. She's trying to not care but she finds herself constantly doing things to try to melt the ice between her and everyone else in this school.

She's not sure why the bullying started but it did and it's only grown and festered into something uglier as the years go by. She finds her escape and comfort in her singing, with a Broadway obsessed mother and a film history teacher as a father it shouldn't be surprising that she loves music and film as passionately as she does. She's been singing since she was a kid and she's extremely confident in this ability.

There's no doubt about it; Aurora knows that she's destined to be a star, she won't let anyone stand in her way. She's headstrong, stubborn, and conceited at times but she's not a bad person, her mother has told her that the people who pick on her are just jealous of her talents. As the students snicker at her and sneer their cruel comments she just ignores them, fighting back or crying only makes it ten times worse. She's been dealing with this since the fourth grade, it's going to take a lot more than someone calling her "an ugly dwarf" to break her down. She just rolls her eyes and keeps going about her day.

But despite her cold exterior, she's secretly nervous right now. Last year a tormenter of hers was Alexander Burgess, he couldn't do much to her physically since he skipped school most days but when he was forced to go he eased his boredom by constantly insulting her and hurtling sexually charged comments her way, now this year he would be returning and she could only hope he wouldn't stay for long at all. Aurora isn't scared of him though, he's just an immature jerk. She just doesn't want to deal with that bullshit. She's a little confused as to why she's so nervous, he picked on her yes but he'd hardly come to school anyway so he wasn't someone she had to deal with a lot.

But on the days he did come to school was hell, he'd been the first person to successfully make her cry since the sixth grade. And he'd walked around with a smug expression that whole day as if he'd cured a deadly disease or something. She normally wasn't so sensitive but she'd been having a bad week already, but surely he'd grown up a lot since then? And even if she hadn't, she was stronger than she was last year. Last year she'd been desperate to fit in and have friends now she didn't care as much. He was just a stupid reprehensible boy, she could handle him.

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P.R. Deltoid is at the top of his least favorite people list right now, Alex is seething as his hands grip the steering wheel. He's already ten minutes late to his first day back but who cares? Between his droogs starting a revolution against his power and being forced to attend classes again with stupid uncultured idiots and revoltingly boring teachers while he could be out playing with girls and inflicting damage on innocent people; Alex is royally pissed off at the moment. He cuts someone off, his lips curling into a smile when he hears the other car skidding on the road and the driver screaming obscenities.

He would turn back and play with the poor man but he needs to stay on track so he keeps driving, he parks quickly and doesn't bother hurrying inside. "I need a late pass, darling" he informs the woman at the main office desk, she's in her thirties and has a bit of crush on him. He knows this and uses it to his advantage, he has no interest in giving her the old in out in out but he's perfectly fine sweet talking her when no one is around. She smiles at him, "Haven't seen ya in a while, little Alex" she comments as she fills out an index card and hands it to him. "You remember where Mr. Martin's class is?"

Alex nods as he walks out the door and makes his way to classroom B-21 for his History class. He smirks when he sees a familiar face, what's her name again? Abigale? Anna? No wait…_Aurora _that's it; "Hello there sweetheart, it's been such a long time since I've viddied that angelic litso of yours" she glares at him, "Haven't you got anything better to than harass me?" she snaps angrily, stepping around him. There's no one around and he grabs her shoulders and throws her against the lockers. It's been days since he'd hurt someone and she's the perfect target. "H-How dare you?" she stammers outraged, she's not afraid yet but she's furious and confused.

"What's wrong darling, too weak to put up a great bolshy britva against me?" he smirks down at her, she shoves at him and manages to push him away from her. "What is wrong with you? Now I'm late for class you ignoramous! Perhaps you should focus on actually passing your classes instead of shoving people around like a brain damaged gorilla" she snaps at him, oh she's feisty isn't she? "Ah-ta-ta-ta-ta now don't be a naughty lil' devotchka sweetheart or I'll have to spank you" he sneers, her cheeks flush as she squeaks in anger. "Leave me alone" she seethes through clenched teeth.

He leans in close to her until their noses are touching, "I'm being like forced to attend this blasted place you viddy my darling, but at least I have me plaything" he whispers in a dark tone, his fingers tangling in her long hair in a tight and possessive grip. For a moment, fear flashes in her big doe eyes but she retaliates quickly by slapping him as hard as she can. "Touch me again and I will report you" she growls and walks away. Alex is just about to go after her, teach her a lesson but a hand on his shoulder prevents him. "And where are you supposed to be young man?" a balding fat man asks him, coughing into a handerkchief afterwards. "Just on my way to class sir, I've been awful sick for a while and they changed my first class you see so I got a bit like confused"

The people here are such morons, "Alright then; carry on young man" the man says before disappearing. Alex is twenty minutes late to his morning class and the professor makes his displeasure known as the young man strolls into the classroom. He does in fact notice the girls looking at him with temptation and lust in their eyes and bubblegum twisted onto their fingers, he's fucked at least four girls in this room alone. He sits down and opens his textbook but his mind wanders to his feisty little dolly. Despite her sharp tongue and strong confidence she was alone and there was no one willing to stick up for her, he could mess around with her to his heart's content and not have to worry about any consequences.

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	2. The Seating Chart

Thank you **DemonBarber14**

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_**Power & Fragility**_

_**(2)The Seating Chart**_

_She's not going to think about it_. Aurora's sitting in the school library, curled up in an arm chair that's much older than she is with a book opened on her lap. She's not reading for pleasure, she missed her English class last week and wants to catch up on the material as fast as she can. Mrs. Kayden assured her that she would have until the end of this week to read the chapter but Aurora has never been one to put things off, apparently though the universe doesn't want her to get an A in her English class because the book isn't on her lap anymore. "Whatcha reading here sweetheart" Alex Burgess asks a little too loudly, plopping himself down in the chair next to her. "That's none of your business" she hisses at him.

"Calm down there lil' devotchka, no need to be such a bitch" he sneers at her, she gapes at him offended by his language and glares at him with fire in her eyes. "Let me make this perfectly clear, I do not like you Alexander Burgess and I would appreciate it if you didn't bother me again" she stands up and flips her hair over her shoulder about to walk away but his hand catches her wrist in a tight grip and he pulls her into his lap. Not even a split second passes before she's struggling to get off him but he lifts his leg and puts it over hers to keep her down while his left hand grips the back of her throat and the other latches onto her breast.

Aurora opens her mouth to scream but his left hand leaves her throat quickly to clamp down on her mouth, muffling the sound. He flips them over so that she's on the chair with him on top of her, pinning her down with a combination of his brute strength and weight on her. "Let _me_ make this perfectly clear, you are nothing but a plaything for me and I play very rough sweetheart, and isn't that just too bad for you?" she's panicking now but trying not to show it, don't let him see how scared you are right now. She squirms under him like a fish out of water and he tugs on her hair so hard she whimpers against his hand. "No one around to like protect you is there?" he mocks her, and he is right.

Footsteps can be heard and she feels relieved, someone heard and they're coming and surely they'll help right? But Alex is quick and she's sitting upright in a chair with him sitting on the couch across from her with a book open and a look of utter concentration on his face, how does he move so fast? "Oh Alex my boy, already making friends I see. And how are you Aurora?" the principal asks them, she's ready to launch into a powerful monologue about how she is not doing so well at all and why that is. But she's tried to tell him about people picking on her in the past and it's never gotten her anywhere.

She knows that what Alex just did to her goes far beyond teasing or picking on her, but she doesn't want to admit that it scared her. So she keeps her mouth shut and keeps her shaking hands between her tightly closed knees to hide them from Alex's and the principal's eyes. "Class will be starting soon" she mumbles and takes the opportunity to leave as quickly as possible. She's had to deal with sexual harassment in the past both from Alex and other people but that was always verbal, never has she been pinned down like that and she can't help but feel shaken by the experience.

But she won't dwell on it, she holds her head high and walks down the hallway with confidence and grace. She won't let a jerk like Alex Burgess scare her or get under her skin, she's far better than that. She gets to class five minutes too early but the teachers like her well enough that it's not uncomfortable for her to be alone with them before class starts. She sits in her assigned seat but Mrs. Kayden shakes her head, "We have a new seating chart" she informs her kindly, "Oh. I'm sorry I didn't realize" Aurora quickly apologizes as she hurries to her teacher's desk to look at the new chart.

"That's alright dear, ya meant no harm" Mrs. Kayden says to her as she organizes the papers on her desk, Aurora's finger traces each box that represents a student/desk and she finds her name in the back far corner sitting next to _Alex Burgess_ wait what? Since when did he even have this class? "Mrs. Kayden would it be possible for me to move closer to the board?" she asks, trying not to sound desperate. "My decision is final, I'm sorry but I did tell you that if you wanted a certain seat to talk to me before Thursday" Aurora can't argue with that, it's true and she sighs in quiet defeat. It's class, he can't do anything to her in a classroom right? He'll get in trouble if he touches her and she'll _scream_ damnit.

He probably won't show up at all anyway, she's not nervous. She can handle this, she can handle him. Aurora doesn't need anyone to protect her, she's been taking care of herself for a long time now. She doesn't cry when people are mean to her, she doesn't go home whimpering to her parents, she doesn't whine to teachers. She's gotten good at ignoring everything and focusing on her dreams instead. First she'll finish school, attend the academy of performing arts and land a gig on Broadway. It's full-proof.

Nothing is going to stand in her way, Aurora Grayson is going to be a star.

Alex is only ten minutes late this time, the teachers are so used to it by now that most of the time they just glare at him as he walks through the door and make some snippy remark. "Please take a seat next to Miss Grayson" the teacher hisses at him, he smirks as he makes his way down the aisle between two rows and sits next to her. Aurora tenses when he sits in the desk next to hers, "Hey 'Rora…sweetheart, come come come now darling don't like ignore your big brother that's not very sladky of thou."

"Shutup, I'm trying to listen to Mrs. Kayden" she whispers in a jagged and anger filled voice, his hand suddenly clamps down on her knee, his fingernails digging into the bare skin. "Don't _ever_ tell me to shutup again you blasted soomka" he snarls at her, his nails drawing blood now. She twists her body as hard as she can effectively pulling her leg away but slamming her other knee into the side of the desk in the process. She cries out and everyone looks towards her. "What's going on back there?" the teacher asks obviously worried, "I'm not sure professor, are you alright little sister?" he asks in an innocent voice. Aurora's breathing is ragged, her cheeks bright red as she tries to calm down. "I-I um...I just had an accident, I'm sorry" she apologizes as she sits down and scoots her desk further from Alex's. She is not afraid, she is not afraid, he is just a jerk and she can handle him without anyone's help. She's not afraid.


	3. Because I Can

Thank you **DemonBarber14** & **Bibliophilechild**

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_**Power & Fragility**_

_**(3)Because I can**_

She refuses to pay him any attention, much to his annoyance. He jabs at her side with his pencil effectively making her jump and gasp sharply. "Don't do that" she whispers in a harsh tone narrowing her eyes at him. "You're awfully cute when you're all mad, sweetheart" he sneers at her scooting his desk closer towards hers. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" she glares at him, he smirks at her and raises his hand. "Mrs. Kayden? My sincerest apologies but I've forgotten my book and as a result seem to be lost at the moment" the teacher sighs, "Alright Mr. Burgess you can just share with another student" she tells him and then looks back down at whatever she's doing. "Wonderful! Aurora, darling, would you be a dear and share your book with me?" he asks in a sugar-coated voice.

"Piss off you bastard" she replies without missing a beat, not even looking at him. "Ms. Grayson, I'd never expect such reprehensible language from you. How disappointing" Mrs. Kayden says, having heard her star student's less than kind use of language. Alex smirks meanly when he sees the color drain from Aurora's face, "I-I I didn't mean to, I'm sorry Mrs. Kayden" she squeaks clearly embarrassed. "Thank you for that apology, now please share your book with your fellow student. I'm surprised that you would be so rude to another student in need, how would you feel if someone turned you down when you needed their help?" Aurora reluctantly scoots her desk against Alex's.

Alex pulls the open book so that each half is resting on both desks, Aurora tries her best to ignore him and concentrate on the material. And for the most part she's doing good until he suddenly and roughly grabs her between the legs with his wretched hand, smirking as she gasps with a mixture of horror and anger. She immediately grabs at his wrist in a tight grip and shoves his hand away but he moves quickly and before she knows it her wrist is in his grip and he'll pulling her hand towards his crotch, smirking.

Aurora tries to yank her hand away but he's gripping her hand hard enough to make her bones ache with pain, she pursues her lips shut to try to stop herself from whimpering but it seeps through her trembling lips. Her fingers are starting to go numb. She turns her head to the side and she's shaking with anger, revulsion, and fear as her unwilling hand meets the front of his pants. He's grinding his hips against her hand obsencely, "Oh yes darling, god" he moans loud enough for the people in the row in front of them to hear, Aurora is horrified to see two boys nodding their approval at Alex.

The girl in front of Aurora sneers at her, _"Slut"_

Like an answer to a desperate prayer, the bell rings and everyone starts hurrying out the door. Alex lets go of her hand and she's practically tripping over herself trying to get out of the room as fast as she can. "And I thought she was a prude" one of the boys snickers, she's trapped behind a group of people who can't seem to move to the side for even a moment and she can't find her voice to tell them to move. The teacher has already left. "Oh she was, but now she's desperate for my cock. She can't get enough, I have to fuck her at least three times a day to keep her satisfied" Alex replies crudely, and she's so incredibly furious.

Her old sense of pride and confidence returns and she's storming straight towards him, "I would **never** willingly be with you in a sexual manner, you disgusting pervert! You are the worst excuse for a human being I have ever had the misfortune of meeting! I don't know what your problem with me is Burgess but I refuse to back down or be afraid of you, I will be reporting every act of deplorable behavior you've inflicted upon me these last two days." She finishes, puffing up with pride. "Ah man, you're in trouble little Alex" another boy teases, laughing. Alex's lips curl into a dangerous and predatory smirk.

"I understand that as a young woman losing your virginity can be a stressful event but come come come now; denying it ever happened is not very like mature of you is it? Ya don't need ta be ashamed of your blooming sexuality my lovely. It's perfectly natural" he says, putting his arm around her shoulders as if the two of them are buddies talking about the latest episode of a popular series. "I did **not** lose my virginity to you! Why are you lying?!" she says, hysterical and furious. "Damn bitch just because you regret it doesn't mean it never happened, you're the one who spread her legs like a whore not him" a boy defends him, "He's lying! How can you believe him, he's lying!" she's getting more hysterical and dramatic by the second but if there was ever moment for dramatics _this_ is the moment.

"I bet you _**love**_ sucking his cock don't you?" a boy sneers at her, while the others snicker meanly and Alex smirks at her. Alex takes advantage of her shocked expression long enough to touch his thumb to her slightly parted mouth, tracing her top and bottom lip. "Don't be shy sweetheart, why don't ya tell how you just sucked me dry before class?" Aurora doesn't have time to deny any of this, the boys are already leaving some of them slapping Alex on the back and saying things like "You're the man!" Aurora is shaking with anger, she can't remember the last time she's been so furious. "Why did you do that?" she questions and her voice comes out weaker than she cares for, her body tenses.

Alex is pressing his lips against her ear, "because I can" he says into her ear with a raspy voice. He presses his lips against her cheek in a deceptively gentle kiss, winks at her, and then leaves. Aurora closes her eyes and struggles to calm herself down, she won't admit it but she's scared to go out into the hallway because Alex might be waiting for her. She looks cautiously and he's nowhere in sight, so she hurries to the bathroom. She's alone and she's still shaking, her eyes burn with tears and she can't stop herself from crying now. Aurora hurries into a stall and slides down the locked door, drawing her knees up to her chest with her hand covering her mouth to muffle her sobs. _Stop crying, stop it._

She wipes away her tears and immediately stands back up, she will not let him get to her damn it. She's better than that, she gets out of the stall and looks at herself in the mirror dabbing at her eyes with a tissue. "What're you crying about chickadee? Look at you, you're fabulous" she echoes the comforting words of her late Nana Michelle, her maternal grandmother who passed away a year ago. Nana Michelle always knew how to cheer her up, it didn't matter how mean the other students got because Nana always made it better in the end. God, she missed her so much.

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	4. A Monster named Alex

Thank you **DemonBarber14** & **Bibliophilechild**

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_**Power & Fragility**_

_**(4) A Monster named Alex**_

She hates him. She hates him for treating her so horribly. She hates him for making her cry when she shouldn't cry over someone like him, she hates him for making her feel so powerless, she hates him for being popular despite the fact he's an asshole, she hates him for making her feel like she's nothing, she hates him for making her alone, she hates him for making her feel like she's nothing.

Like dream follows nightmare; Aurora's next class is Musical Theater. And there is no Alex here to torment and humiliate her, she's sitting in the front row as per usual smiling the entire time because this is her world and nobody can hurt her here. The students in this class are the closest thing she has to friends, they're civil towards her and respect her talents but they don't talk to her outside of the classroom and it hurts her but she won't admit that. The class passes by too fast and she timidly walks up to her teacher, "Mr. Lawrence? Can I talk to you about something?"

Her theater teacher is vibrant, funny, and kind to her but he can't seem to hold back his heavy sigh as he turns to her, "Aurora please try to remember you're not the only talented student in this class, I'm trying to be fair about who gets the solos in next week's class performance." Whatever she was about to tell him won't come out now, he doesn't want to hear it. So she just mumbles a quick apology and leaves, she's not sad about it though because she's strong and she doesn't need anyone's help. If she just ignores it and focuses on her singing everything will be okay. She won't let Alex get to her.

Aurora's next and last class goes by in a breeze, the bell rings and everyone hurries home as fast as their legs can carry them. she's eager to get out to but she needs to stop by her locker to get her books, she walks quickly down the hallway turns the corner and spots her locker. She twists the lock 3-24-13 and it clicks open, her fingers curl on the edge and pull it open and the next moment it's being slammed shut; she manages to move her fingers before anything really bad can happen to them but the edge of the door still scrapes against her flesh making her cry out in pain. Alex is standing there, his hand flat against the locker door.

"Going home so soon, my lovely?"

She won't back down, he is nothing but a jerk. With her hands on her hips and her posture graceful and perfect like a peacock, she looks him right in the face. "Yes I am. Now kindly remove your repulsive self from my presence, just seeing your face makes me want to vomit" now this isn't exactly true, he's very handsome but he's a monster and she hates him. He smirks that predatory smirk of his, and closes the already uncomfortably small gap between them in two long strides. She instinctively backs away from him but it's not long before her back meets the wall of lockers.

He pins her against them with his body and she pushes at his biceps in an attempt to shove him away but unfortunately can't. He's using all his brute strength to crush her against the lockers, it's hard to breathe. "Leave me alone" she forces out in angry cramped whisper. Without warning he suddenly slams his lips against hers, Aurora screams against his mouth and beats at him with her fists but they are rabbit paws thumping harmlessly against stone. Uncontrollable tears stream down her face as he slams her wrists against the wall above her and pins them there. This is her first kiss, it wasn't supposed to be like this. This is so completely _wrong_, this was supposed to be beautiful and sweet.

Alex moves his mouth to her throat, sucking on her skin roughly. It should feel nice, pleasurable even but Aurora just feels sick and helpless. And she wants to scream but his body is crushing hers and she can barely breath without her ribs squeaking with pain, she wants to hit him but her hands are pinned uselessly against the wall, she is helpless and she is scared. But she can't stop fighting, she won't. Aurora uses her strength to slam her knee upwards, but she only manages to hit his thigh and not her intended target. Still it phases him long enough for her to almost escape, almost. She's not even a foot away when his arm is around her waist and she's being slammed violently back against the lockers.

And he keeps slamming her against them. He does this ten times, each time the sound of her body hitting the lockers echoes through the hall accompanied by her short screams of pain. Aurora's head lolls to the side and her body is practically lifeless against his, the only thing keeping her up is Alex's body against hers. She feels dizzy and weak. Her head is spinning and her body, especially her back, is throbbing with pain. She feels as if her brain has been rattled. "S-Stop" she manages to get out, her voice weak and trembling. "You're mine now, darling, you belong to me" he growls against her ear.

Alex starts to nibble at her earlobe, smirking wickedly when she shudders against him. "You tell anyone about our little games, sweetheart, and I'll kill you."

He suddenly pulls himself away from her, smirking as she slides down the wall helplessly. "See ya tomorrow, princess" Aurora's eyes are shut tight; and her heart is pounding. When she hears his footsteps moving away from her, and a door to the outside opening and closing she still doesn't open her eyes. She waits five minutes, just simply trying to breathe properly and opens her eyes. She finds the strength to stand up and walk outside, slowly because he might be out here waiting but no. He's long gone it seems but she still can't help but feel anxious. She somehow manages to find the strength to get up and start walking out the door back home.

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	5. Strong Enough

Thank you **DemonBarber14** & **Bibliophilechild**

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_**Power & Fragility**_

_**(5) Strong Enough**_

**5 Days Later**

His hands are tight around her wrists, a warning to keep quiet. His mouth biting at her throat, chest pushing so hard against hers that her breasts ache, he takes mouthfuls of her skin the same way most people take the first bite of ice cream. His hips grind against hers. She is closing her eyes tightly, finding her escape through random images of herself starring in a Broadway production, signing loving fan's pictures, and receiving her _sixth_ tony award…she's going to be a star, and this nightmare will be long forgotten by then. She's strong enough to not cry_._

The bell rings, saving her for now. Alex pulls away and she takes in a deep breath, his body is always so heavy against hers. When she's with him, air is a precious and painfully elusive thing. Her back is covered in bruises from all the times he's slammed her against the wall, he throws her around like a rag doll and she hates that no matter how hard she fights him she always ends up pinned against the wall with him kissing her and biting at her throat like a rabid animal. Her wrists are ringed with dark bruises and tiny scabs from his fingernails digging into her flesh. She's strong enough to not care about it.

The students swarm into the hallways, buzzing with gossip and weekend plans. She pushes her way through the crowd to head outside. The students are allowed to leave the building during lunch, she normally stays because no restaurants close by appeal to her. But she needs to get away, so she figures she'll just stop by The Madeline Theater. She's sort of friends with the owner's son, Nathan. He's very sweet to her but they hardly get to see each other so their friendship has never really had a chance to bloom. She wants to tell him everything but she won't. She's strong enough to put on a happy smile.

Her jacket hides the bruises on her wrists, and Nathan is confused when she doesn't take it off upon entering his "home away from home" this place is after all owned by his parents and although he isn't as passionate about musical theater as they are or Aurora is, he still loves this place and sincerely wants to keep it running for as long as possible. Aurora usually visits once a week, she would visit more but her schedule is tight. "Hey there, aren't you going to take off your coat? It's like ninety degrees in here" he says as he finishes repainting a sign above the front desk. "I feel fine, how're you? How're your folks doing? Is your mom still in the hospital?" she asks, genuinely worried.

He sighs sadly, "Not yet. She's stable but…that could change any minute you know? But let's not talk about that, it won't do any good for her for us to be all sad. How was your day? Those assholes still bothering you?" he asks her, Nathan is aware that she's been picked on since grade school but he only knows about the insults and general meanness; he doesn't know about the slandering, physical abuse, and sexual harassment. But when she lifts her hand absentmindedly to scratch an inch on her jaw; the sleeve of her jacket slides down just enough for him to see purple and the next moment he's walking from behind the desk towards her with determination and worry. She's strong enough to not hug him and bury her face in his chest and sob all her pain while he holds her and strokes her hair.

Aurora quickly puts her hand back down but he's already seen, "Aurora what happened?" she stares at the ground, she doesn't want to have this conversation right now. "It's nothing. I tripped on the stairs at school and banged my wrist on the railing, it was stupid really" his eyes narrow and she knows he's not entirely convinced. "Those bruises look like fingermarks, Aurora is someone hurting you?" she hesitates a second too long, "Who is it? I'll kick their ass" she grabs his arm, "I don't need you to protect me Nathan, it's okay. I'm okay, I promise." She tries to soothe him. She's strong enough to not ask for help.

"Aurora…I know you're lying to me, I know someone did that to you. Just tell me who it is and I'll go to your school with you and we can tell them"

She's given up trying to lie to him. "Nobody wants to hear me whine" he's so shocked, her voice sounds so painfully small and tired. Not at all like her usual vivacious and over the top personality he's grown to admire. "It's not whining Aurora, someone is hurting you and you need help" she looks at him angrily, "I don't need anyone's help. I've been dealing with this crap since gradeschool, he's just turned it up a notch that's all. I'm dealing with it just fine" she's strong enough to lie to not only him but herself.

"You're not dealing with it, Aurora. You're just ignoring it and hoping it'll stop. And you're afraid to speak up aren't you? I know you try to be strong, I know that you are in fact strong Aurora but I can see he's breaking you. Please, please let me go with you to tell your principle. He can't ignore the bruises on your wrists, he just can't." Nathan implores her, cupping her face in his hands. "He's not breaking me, I told you I've been dealing with bullies for years now. I'm practically an expert on this…they always get tired and eventually stop, everything is fine. I'm going to be fine"

She looks at the clock on the wall, "I have to go now. It was nice seeing you Nathan" she scurries away and out the door, he knows now. Not everything obviously but he knows someone hurt her. Lunch is almost over and she arrives ten minutes before the bell, she's alone in the girl's bathroom and hears the door open. Her eyes are closed, her mind drifting and when she opens her eyes Alex is standing behind her. She doesn't have time to react, he grabs the back of her head and slams her face into the mirror so hard her vision goes black for a few moments.

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	6. Cracks in Her Armor

Thank you **Mikki19**

To everyone who's supported this story and all my other work by reading, reviewing, adding to alerts and favorite lists. I love you and hope you have a wonderful Christmas or whatever you celebrate :)

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_**Power & Fragility**_

_**(6) Cracks in her Armor**_

And you stood tall

Now you will fall

Don't break the spell

Of a life spent trying to do well

**-Lullaby, Sia**

Aurora doesn't have time to collect herself, his hand is tangled in her hair yanking her violently into a standing position. She claws at his hand, hissing in pain. Her back meets the wall with a thud, irritating her bruises and probably creating new ones as well. "What's his eemya darling? How long 'ave you been sodding around with him?" he growls at her, using his slang for the first time in a long while. Most students here don't understand it so he usually reserves it for his private life. "What do you care? It's not like we're dating, you bastard" she bites back, glaring at him and refusing to back down. "You belong to me" he says, pressing against her and pinning her wrists against the lockers. "I belong to no one"

She pushes him off, usually it doesn't work but he seems to move away on his own accord. Aurora heads for the door to leave when his arm is suddenly around her throat in a chokehold. Her scream is cut off and he hurtles her across the small bathroom where she hits the mirror again face first, the glass has been unbreakable since two years ago after an incident involving a cat fight between two cheerleaders. Her eyes burn with tears and she's laying on her back, Aurora struggles to get back up but Alex sits on her pinning her down. His weight makes her ribs squeak in protest.

He covers her mouth and nose, cutting off her oxygen. He's suffocating her, when she realizes this Aurora screams against his hand as hard as she can. Bucking under him and clawing at the tile beneath her as her lungs strain to take in air that he's depriving her of. Her legs writhe and kick but he only pushes his mouth over her face down harder, her chest is burning from her attempts to push him off. Not only is he covering her mouth and nose, his weight pinning her down isn't doing her any favors. Finally he lets go and gets off, she sucks in as much as air she can. Rolling weakly onto her side, she sobs violently against the black and white tile. A mixture of blood curdling screams and whimpering sobs and panicked gasps for precious oxygen, she's shaking all over.

He rolls her back onto her back and kisses her, she doesn't have the energy to fight him. She turns her head away weakly and pushes at him but he slaps her and she goes limp under him. "S-Stop" she says, her voice painfully tiny and weak. She sobs as he starts to unbutton her shirt, her mind is screaming at her to fight him but she's so tired. His mouth is sucking at her neck as his hand roughly pushes into the front her underwear, she sobs when he forcibly touches her between her legs. "Shhh" he warns and she's so scared she obeys, his fingernails are scratching her sensitive flesh bringing fresh tears to her eyes. "Keep struggling, baby, you're making me so hard" he sneers, grinding his hips down against hers.

Alex smirks down at her but stands up, leaving her shaking and crying on the ground. "Now you've made me late to class, how baddiwad of you my little devotchka. See you around, sladky Aurora." He says, grinning from ear to ear before leaving the bathroom. Aurora's breathing slowly but surely returns to normal, and she starts crying. This is a different crying though, when she cries in front of Alex it's because she's in pain. She's crying now because she feels helpless, scared, powerless, broken, hurt, ashamed, furious, desperate, trapped, and alone.

She hates feeling like this, and she hates even worse that he's the reason she feels this way. She shouldn't be letting him get to her and why isn't she reporting him why isn't she going straight to the principle to tell him every moment of cruelty and blatant abuse he's inflicted on her?

_I won't say anything. I won't do it. Nobody wants to hear me bitch and moan. Nobody cares either way. I won't say how scared I am to come to school. I won't say how badly I want to run when I see Alex. I won't say how much it hurts when he throws me around. I won't say how powerless and trapped he makes me feel. I won't say how I'm so afraid of him it's hard to breathe. I won't say any of it. Keep it locked away. You can get through this. He's a senior. He'll be gone next year. And you'll be safe. You're strong enough to get through this year without anyone's help. Stay strong, stop crying. Stay strong._

As she stands up and heads to class on shaky legs and tears stained in her eyes. "Hey Grayson, is it true you suck Alex's dick so much your breath permanently smells like his cum?" a boy loudly and crudely asks her, she ignores him but the comment still makes her cringe. She's not broken; she refuses to consider herself broken down. But there are cracks in her armor now that she wonders will ever heal.

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	7. The House Invasion

Thank you **DemonBarber14 & Bibliophilechild**

**Trigger Warning: **Rape

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_**Power & Fragility**_

_**(7) The House Invasion**_

Today is paradise. No school and that means no Alex. She lies on her tummy her lace covered bed in an oversized sweat shirt and ruffled panties with an open book and her stereo playing softly in the background. She hums along absentmindedly, playing with her strawberry blonde curls and noisily popping her bubblegum. Her parents are in Italy on a romantic vacation, they trust her alone for a few weeks. She's mature, well-behaved, and keeps the house spotless. It's Saturday, around noon and she hasn't left her bed. Normally she would quickly clean up the house, put in some laundry, practice her singing, go for a walk, read some poetry, work in the garden, maybe do some homework ahead of time but today she can't bring herself to leave the warmth and comfort of her bed.

Her phone chirps happily, lost in blankets of her bed. She groans and struggles for a few moments to track it down, it's an unknown number. Of course she debates answering it, her parents are in another country so maybe it's them. "Hello this is Aurora speaking" she answers, "what're ya wearing, my lovely?" his voice, husky and dark, penetrates her mind like a blade. Her body stiffens. "How did you get this number?" she demands, trying to not sound panicked. "Ya look so cute wearing only a sweatshirt and panties, darling. But ya know what? You'd look even more sladky without any platties covering your plott at all, you'd look especially lovely covered in my thick hot cum" she quickly hangs up, she feels physically sick. Her mind is whirling with panic and terror. He's _watching _her.

She quickly pulls on some pants in an attempt to help herself feel not so vulnerable, her phone rings and she answers it "Listen you son of a bitch, this has gone way too far. You seriously need to stop." She hisses into the phone. "Oh but we're having so much fun together, sweet pea. I could make you screech to bog and his holy angels darling, if ya'd stop being such an uptight lil' bitch" her anger flares up and her teeth clench. "I will never ever willingly have sex with you, you disgusting piece of shit" Alex chuckles darkly at her, "As if I need your permission, darling" Aurora stiffens, her breath hitches in her throat.

He's insinuating that he wants to rape her. The thought, horrifying and disturbing, has been on her mind since the day he started sexually harassing her but hearing him _actually imply it_ was terrifying in its own right. Because now there was no doubt that he would stoop that low. Aurora hears a door creaking open, she bolts down the hallway in time to see the door semi-open and Alex standing there. She slams herself against the door trying to close it again but he sticks a long black cane in the doorframe making it bounce open again. Alex kicks the door all the way open with his foot and closes it behind him leaning against it while she backs away. "Lovely home ya've got here, princess"

She doesn't even say anything, a split second passes and she's running upstairs. She's only able to reach the middle when a hand grips her ankle and yanks her down. Her jaw smacks against the edge of a stair and blood pools in her mouth. Alex flips her onto her back, grabbing her hips he roughly drags her under him and pins her against the stairs with his body. He grabs her hair in a painful grip and yanks her head up only to slam it against the edge of the stair so hard her eyes roll back in her head for a few moments.

Alex reaches between their hips to pull down her pants and underwear at the same time. She's going in and out of consciousness; her body is ragdoll limp beneath his and completely vulnerable to his perversions. He slaps her a few times to get her to wake up and be more alert, "Rise and shine, princess, ya wouldn't want to miss your first time now would ya?" she moans in pain, her head lolling to the side. Lips parting, eyes glassy and half closed; Alex pulls her hips flush against his and she feels his erection pressing against her. She opens her mouth and it feels rusted, like she hasn't used it in centuries. She wants to scream but nothing comes out, she wants to fight but she's so dizzy and disoriented.

He unzips his pants and pulls out his hardened sex, grabbing her throat in a painfully tight grip he pushes the head of it against her naked and completely unaroused vagina. She mumbles under his heavy body, something about "don't please" and "no" but her voice is so tiny and she hates it. A scream rips through her throat when he rams himself into her body so hard she can physically feel something tear. As if her volume button has been cranked up, Aurora sobs and screams through the agony of a forced penetration. It feels like he's splitting her in two. He covers her mouth with his hand, muffling her blood curdling screams of pain. Tears stream down her face, and she realizes with a jolt that this is actually happening. He's raping her.

She's not strong enough to get through this. It hurts and she can't get him off of her. _Why did I let my stupid pride get in the way of telling someone how he was treating me?! I brought this on myself, this is my fault my fault my fault my fault _she turns her face away as he continues to violently rape her, sobbing so hard it's difficult to breathe. He pulled his hand away a few moments ago to grab onto the railing so he can push even deeper inside her unwilling body. "You're so fucking beautiful, princess"

He pulled out, coming onto her stomach. Aurora's body trembled underneath his and she felt like she was dying from the inside out. Her eyes glazed over, teardrops trapped on her eyelashes she stares blankly into space. She feels so painfully broken now, and she doesn't know how to even try to fix it.

"Slooshy closely, my angel, if you mutter a slovo about this or any of our other eegras to anyone I will come back here. I will rape you. I will rape your em. And I will force your poor old dad to watch me. I know what you're thinkin' my lovely, three people against one? Surely those three would like win in a big ol' britva. I have three on my team darling, three very baddiwad droogs who wouldn't hesitate helping me pin down your dad and mom while I fuck you. So you just think about that, love"

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**Please Review**


	8. Wilting Flowers

Thank you **DemonBarber14**

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_**Power & Fragility**_

_** (8) Wilting Flowers**_

It's been exactly three hours and seventeen minutes since he's been gone, and she still hasn't moved from the staircase. Finally, she finds the strength to get up and walk on shaking legs to the bathroom. She walks slowly, each movement makes her wince. The rape although violent and animalistic, was quick. He hadn't done it for a simple sexual desire but for power and intimidation. She knows next time he'll be more thorough, probably force her to do things to him that will humiliate her. The very thought makes her want to scream until her lungs stop working. She peels off her sweatshirt, it being the only thing he left on her, and steps into the bathtub. The words of the guidance counselor in the 5th grade who talked to her and all the girls in that grade about sexual assault float into her head.

_After a rape it's important to not take a shower. Whatever evidence this person has left on your body cannot be easily found by hospital staff if you take a shower, girls._

But…she's so dirty. They never talked about how dirty you could feel. And not just on the outside, she feels filthy inside to. They didn't tell her about how dirty she would feel after being pinned down to a staircase, slapped around, and forcibly penetrated while she cried and screamed. She can feel him inside of her, stretching and filling and burning and hurting her. She can taste the blood in her mouth. Feel the staircase pressing against her lower back. She can feel his hands all over her, his teeth against her throat, his hips against hers. So she turns the water to scalding hot and scrubs her skin.

She scrubs her skin so violently it makes her scream through her teeth, but she won't stop. She feels like she needs to see her bones and drown them in bleach in order to feel even somewhat clean again. She squeezes her eyes shut and sees him above her, moving as they thrusts into her. Her skin is red and raw now, she's hurting herself but she doesn't feel the pain. She just feels frustrated because no matter how hard she scrubs she can't get clean. She can still feel him all over her. Blood from her vaginal penetration runs down the shower drain, Aurora sits down and leans against the tiled wall. Exhausted.

_After a rape it's important to tell an adult or call the police immediately. Sometimes rapists threaten a second assault on their victims but the police can and will protect you._

But…she's so scared. They never talked about how scared you could feel. She's never been more afraid of another person than she is of Alex Burgess. The fear takes her breath away and makes her feel tiny and small. She doesn't feel strong or vibrant or beautiful. She doesn't feel like a diamond in the rough anymore. She just feels small and scared and painfully dirty here in her bathtub.

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	9. Welcome to the Nightmare

Thank you **DemonBarber14 & Bibliophilechild**

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_**Power & Fragility**_

_** (9) Welcome to the Nightmare**_

Aurora hasn't talked much this week, not that anybody really notices of course. She's withdrawn into herself it seems. The other students mock her, ask her sexually explicit questions ("hey Grayson I'm just curious exactly how wide do you open your mouth for sucking cock?" "Do you think Alex would mind if I borrowed that loose cunt for a night?") a few weeks ago she would have defended herself but she's too exhausted now. She's at her locker trying to hurry because she knows he's coming for her and she's too tired and too broken to pretend she's not afraid of him. She's not fast enough. Alex smacks the locker next to her head making her yelp and spin around to face him.

"G-Go away" she tries to say this in a strong biting tone but it comes out weak and shaky. He smirks and pushes himself flush against her. "I've missed you, baby" he sneers against her ear while she trembles against his body and desperately tries to hold back her tears. "You've been on my rassodock these past few like dvas my sladky darling. Uncle Alex wants some more of that cherry pie ya've like got so keep your sodding mouth shut right right?" she struggles as he drags her down the hall by her waist, he throws her against the lockers in retaliation and then picks up her limp ragdoll body.

_**A little girl sits in front of a television, her face filled with wonder and awe as the beautiful Barbra Streisand belts out a powerful number. She is sitting on her mother's lap, "Mama I want to do that" she tells her in a serious tone. "I want to be like Fanny Brice. I want to be the greatest star in the world" her mother kisses the top of her head. "You can be anything you want to be baby"**_

He throws her over his shoulder, and carries her out of the school and to his Durango. He tosses her onto the passenger seat, smirking as her head smacks the interior and she winces. She sits up, wincing in pain and tries to jump out of the car but he backhands her with a hard merciless hand and she's too dizzy from the impact to try to get away now. "Have you forgotten my promise from that nochy, princess? I will have you. Ya'd do well to stop trying to get away" he growls at her before getting into the driver's side and starting the car. Alex has the top down; she rests her head against the space between her seat and the door. Turning her body away from his and concentrating on holding back her tears. She feels so hopeless. She doesn't bother fighting back when his hand touches her knee.

As his hand forces itself between her legs, she squeezes her eyes shut and presses her face even harder against the door. He parks the car and withdraws his hand from her panties. Aurora follows him to his apartment, his parents aren't home. She wants so badly to run but she knows it won't do any good. He pushes her into his bedroom and she stands awkwardly, she's shaking. "Please don't do this" she whispers in a tight cramped voice. He tilts his head at her like a curious dog. "Do what exactly darling?" she inhales sharply, her eyes filling with tears. "Please don't rape me again"

_**She's not nervous. She's excited. She can't wait to show them all what she can do. She has a beautiful voice and a strong stage presence. She's born for the Broadway stage. She knows this. She's going to be huge someday. She's so passionate about her performing that not being famous is simply not an option. She has a great range, and she can sing just about anything. She sings mainstream pop songs, Broadway show tunes, Powerhouse Ballads, and so forth and so on. She holds the microphone in her hand and the bird in her heart spreads its golden tipped wings and she feels like she can fly.**_

He corners her against his bed, and she stumbles into a seating position. He pushes her so she's laying down, she turns her face away and squeezes her eyes shut. She should fight back as hard as she can, she shouldn't just submit like this but she's _scared_. And she figures that maybe it won't be so bad this time, it can't be worse than the first time right? She can get through this. She can get through this without crying, without breaking into a million pieces. And screaming, fighting back will only get him more excited. She has to stay strong. But it's getting so much harder to pretend to be…

Alex trails open mouthed kisses down her throat; his body feels so heavy against hers. It's hard to breathe properly. She feels his erection her against her thigh, "Get on all fours darling, it's time you found out what's it's like to be with a real man" she doesn't want to be here. She doesn't want to feel his body pressing against hers or hear his voice. He flips her pleated skirt up, revealing her simple white cotton panties. "We're going to have a real horrorshow time tonight, baby girl"

Seven hours have passed. _Seven hours. _They're both naked and sweaty. Her skin is marked with bite marks, scratches, and cigarette burns. Her vagina is sore and bruised so badly she knows that urinating later will be painful and uncomfortable. Her throat is raw and sore from screaming in pain at his violent fucking. She doesn't even feel human anymore. But it's not over yet. Another three hours go by before he's done using her body. He gets dressed and yanks her off his bed by her hair forcing her to stand on trembling legs. "It's been real lovely sweetheart, now itty off like a good little devotchka yes? I'll like viddy you at skolliwol tomorrow. Remember, not a word darling" he growls against her ear before releasing his vice grip on her.

He allows her the _privilege_ of getting dressed and then forces her to _thank_ him for doing so. She walks home with dull eyes and a cemetery building itself inside her bones.

By the time she gets home it's 12:54 pm and she crawls into her bed. Alligator sized tears well in her eyes, she buries her face into her pillow. Before she can stop it, she's sobbing so hard and so violently it actually making her stomach hurt. Her chest heaves as she tries to breathe properly but she's sobbing too violently and she can't calm herself down. She wants to reach between her legs and _rip out_ her own vagina. It's filthy and broken and she feels like it's a virus now, killing her. Her sobs have evolved into short choppy screams, she's not saying anything she's just screaming. In anger, in pain. She's screaming so loud now she wonders why the walls aren't crumbling from the force.

The room is getting smaller and smaller, she can't breathe. She's screaming into her pillow and she's shaking and she's crying. Her muffled high pitched screams are only interrupted by her violent and clumsy attempts at breathing properly, her breathing is too rapid and her heart rate is alarmingly fast. She feels like she's going to die. It's so hard to breathe or think properly. She feels like she doesn't have control over her body. She feels nauseous and her hyperventilating is causing her to feel faintish.

She doesn't recognize that she's having a panic attack right now. Someone is knocking on her door, she doesn't have the mind to even call out for help. The door is opening and she fears that it might be him.

But it's not. _Nathan_ is lifting her up and holding her. "Christ. Aurora look at me honey, look at me it's Nathan. I'm calling the hospital okay? You're okay, I got you now" she wants to tell him to leave but she can't. And she realizes she doesn't want to either. She doesn't hear his voice as he talks to the ambulance workers. She's barely conscious.

Nathan has been worried about her, so he came to visit her just to see if she was okay. He's thankful now for the psych class he took in high school and for Ms. Beverley for teaching them how to recognize a panic attack and what to do in that situation. As he waits for them to come get her he realizes with a jolt that she looks horrible. And it has nothing to do with her panic attack. Someone _hurt_ her. He squeezes her against him almost too hard making her wince, he immediately loosens his grip. "Sorry about that babe, they'll be here soon. You're going to be okay"

Her breathing is returning to a healthier pace, but she's still shaking albeit not as hard as before. She mostly just feels foggy now. She feels humiliated that he saw her in such a pathetic state. Nathan feels warm and strong against her. Two men rush in and lift her onto a gurney, someone sticks her with a needle and everything goes black. The last thing she remembers is Nathan's hand holding hers.

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	10. Little Girls wBroken Wings

Thank you **DemonBarber14 & WeasleyBoys**

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_**Power & Fragility**_

_** (10) Little Girls with Broken Wings**_

She wakes up and sees a bright light, so bright it makes her squeeze her eyes shut and hiss weakly. A few moments pass and the fog around her head is lifting. She sits up in her slightly elevated hospital bed and notices a nurse walk in. "Oh! You're awake, you just relax now honey" Aurora shakes her head and stands up. "I have to—I got to go now. I'm fine, I just…I gotta go" the nurse's brows furrow and she blocks her path. "Aurora. Look at me, honey, you don't need ta go rushin' about. You need to lay down and relax real easy like. You're in no state to go hurryin' off all by yer lonesome. Ya hear me, little girl?"

"No you don't understand. I _**have**_ to go _**now**_. I'm going to miss school okay? I n-need...if I'm not there he'll be so m-mad at me. you don't fucking understand you don't…you don't know what he'll…" she's already said too much. She covers her mouth with her hand and stumbles into a seating position on the bed. The nurse sits down next to her. Her voice is soft. "Bumblebee, hey…someone hurtin' ya? You can tell me, you're safe here. Ain't nobody gonna lay a finger on ya. Just tell me what's goin' on?"

"I…I c-can't…I can't tell anybody a-about it." Aurora finally replies after a few long minutes of silence. "Sure ya can, sweetpea, go on. Tell me everything" again there is nothing but silence. Her lips are pursued tight and she's staring at the ground. "I've…I've dealt with bullying for years now you know? I got used to it. I learned to ignore it. I knew…I knew that somebody I'd…I'd get away from it and just move to New York…find my true place in the world. I thought I was s-strong enough to handle it on my own without anyone's help but…I'm not and…I'm so….I-I'm so scared of him"

Nurse Wilhelmina B. Ramon is thirty-seven years old. Born in raised in Memphis, Tennese. She moved here to England at the age of twenty to study medicine and has worked at this hospital since the age of twenty-four. She's a head nurse, working in the woman's health department, and she's dealt with victims of abuse many times. It doesn't make it any less hard after the thousandth time. She used to believe that she would stop feeling so hurt and angry for these girls and boys as time past on but looking at Aurora now she can honestly say she feels the exact same way she did the first time she encountered her first battered patient.

She wraps her arm around the trembling girl's shoulder, gently coaxing her on. "Last…last year he b-bullied me but it was…it was different. He was just…he was a jerk and I…I didn't let him get to me but this year he…he's a nightmare. He's been spreading rumors that we…that I performed s-sexual acts on him but I most sincerely never ever did. He's al-always touching me, grabbing at me and I-I make it clear to h-him that I don't w-want him touching me that way but he…he doesn't stop and the…the more I triy to f-fight him off the more rough and v-violent he gets with m-me"

Nathan is listening outside the door, his hands balled into fists so tight his knuckles blanch. He's so angry he's almost blinded by it. He listens as she continues to blurt out every horror Alex has inflicted thus far. Aurora's voice trembles and she's forced to stop due to her own violent sobs, Nathan wants to hold her but he knows his prescence will startle her too much and she'll stop talking. So he remains out of sight. Listening while she tells Nurse Ramon about Alex slamming her against lockers (sometimes repeatedly until she was dizzy and disoriented with pain) Alex making excpilict sexual remarks about her during class and humiliating her, Alex brutally taking her first kiss by force.

Now she's talking about the bathroom incident. "H-He started yelling that I…that I belonged to him and he was…he was just…he was so angry. And he threw me to the ground and he put his…he put his hand over my n-nose and mouth to cut off my air s-supply, I couldn't b-breathe and he…he wouldn't let me get any oxygen. He was sitting on top of me, I couldn't…I couldn't breathe!" Her voice raises to a terrified shriek and Nurse Ramon hugs her a little tighter. "It's okay now, you're safe"

"Alex…finally g-got off of me but I was…too exhausted to try and get away. And he kissed me, I asked him to stop but he…he hit me and started unbuttoning my blouse. I w-wanted to fight him but I was so…I was so tired. Then Alex…he f-forced his hand down my panties and…and h-he touched me. He was h-hurting me, it didn't feel good at all. His f-fingernails scratched me and I started c-crying and pushing at him b-because I…I wanted him to stop. I wanted him to leave me alone but h-he…he was so much stronger than I was and I…I was so t-tired. He t-told me to keep…keep struggling because I was making him hard. And then h-he was done with me. Or…a-atleast I thought he was"

Nathan's having a hard time breathing right now. He never thought he'd live to see the day that Aurora Grayson would be sitting on a hospital bed crying and shaking, terrified of a faceless (to him) monster. She'd always been so incredibly strong. She never let anyone get in the way of her dreams and aspirations. She just looks so tiny and helpless, it's not right. It's so surreal and out of place to him.

"Sweetheart…has Alex ever raped you?"

"I…He…it was m-my fault"

"No. It was not. None of this was your fault in any way, shape, or form"

"I sh-should have told someone f-from the beginning but I didn't…I didn't and it just kept e-escalating and I didn't kn-know how to make him s-stop…he th-threatened to r-rape me and my mom in f-front of my dad if I told…if I…OH MY GOD! I'm so stupid! I just… I fucking told you everything and n-now he's HE'S GOING TO HURT ME AGAIN oh god oh god I'm so stupid! HE'S GOING TO HURT MY POOR MOTHER"

Nathan can see she's on the verge of another panic attack, he hurries into the room. Trying to calm her down with the help of the nurse; "No one's going to hurt you or your mom, I promise you. What is Alex's last name?" she doesn't seem to hear these words or at least register them. Finally she spits out, "Burgess" and Nathan rushes to tell a head doctor to call the police.

Fifteen minutes pass by and Alex Burgess finds himself in the back of a police auto.

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**Please Review**

**I've started school :D my first year of college! I'm only able to afford one class but I'm excited for it. I'm taking a Human Development class. **


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